1.0 Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an identification system for documents. More particularly, the present invention relates to a programmable apparatus for authenticating drivers' licenses used for identification purposes. Specifically, the present invention relates to a programmable apparatus that identifies the contents of the driver licenses used for identification purposes without any human error and allows the information carried by the driver licenses to be transferred to a remote location for further identification purposes.
2.0 Description of Related Art
The problem of rampant and readily available fake identification cards, more particularly, driver licenses/identification cards, has caused many retailers fines, sometimes imprisonment, loss of tobacco and liquor licenses, and has even subjected them to other forms of civil and criminal liability. Over the course of years, various attempts have been made to prevent or detect the use of fake identification cards, but not with a great deal of success. To help prevent the use of fake identification, since 1992 the United States and Canada have been issuing new driver licenses in accordance with an international North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) standard created and enforced by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). These new driver licenses/identification cards have embedded coded, or even encrypted coded information, with machine readable formats that conform to the NAFTA standards. It is desired that means be provided that authenticate the contents of these identification cards so as to safeguard the retailer against the penalties that may otherwise be encountered by fake identification cards.
The use of driver licenses has expanded over the years to serve as identification for various applications, such as for the purchase of alcohol, tobacco or lottery products, as well as for gambling in casinos, off-track betting (OTB), movie theaters and user-definable events, such as allowing the ingress into liquor establishments. All of these fields have an age requirement for the purchase of a product at the point-of-transaction or for ingress into an establishment and the driver license is the document used to provide age identification and all age verification is commonly accomplished in a relatively quick manner. It is desired that means be provided that easily decides a driver licenses authenticity so that any purchase of a product having an age requirement is satisfied at the time of purchase and in a quick and convenient manner.
As is known, driver licenses are accompanied with photo identification of the particular driver, and in addition to the identification supplied by a driver license to a liquor retailer, the driver license is frequently used for other identification purposes, such as for providing proper identification for check cashing. The frequent use of driver licenses allows the licenses to serve as tools to detect or uncover individuals who are being sought out because of being subject to pending criminal prosecution. It is desired that means be provided to allow the information on the driver licenses to be transferred to a local or remote jurisdiction to help identify and detect individuals that may be classified as being offenders against the criminal law of the associated jurisdiction.
Driver licenses not only serve for identification for commercial transactions, but also serve a humanitarian need of identifying preordained organ donors that may be involved in tragic accidents. It is desired for humanitarian purposes that means be provided to transfer the organ donor information commonly present on driver licenses to a local or remote jurisdiction so that an available organ donor may be quickly matched to an individual in need of the now-available organ.
Driver licenses are commonly used in places of business, such as convenience stores, liquor stores, entertainment centers which also have personal computers for use in business purposes, such as inventory management. It is desired that means be provided so that personal computers may be readily adapted to serve as an integral part of an authentication system for driver licenses.